Published: Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 6:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 6:44 p.m.

Downtown Ocala is home to an innocuous, gray building that most people hardly notice, and few could explain what goes on inside. The Chinese military involved in computer hacking, on the other hand, likely could.

In this Nov. 18, 2010 file photo, Dr. John "Row" Rogacki poses for a picture at the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition on Southeast Osceola Avenue in Ocala.

Bruce Ackerman/Star-Banner

The 40,000-square-foot building belongs to the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition. The business designs electronics and advanced machinery to help injured people regain the use of their limbs and even see again — all through state-of-the art computerization.

The company also designs machinery and complex computer technology that give people super-human capabilities in those same physical arenas.

But it's not only this technology that gets hackers' attention. The institute also creates sophisticated computer programs for federal agencies that track hackers from around the world, including state-supported hackers in China.

The facility's associate director, John "Row" Rogacki, said this week a growing portion of his firm's portfolio includes helping those federal agencies protect against computer intruders who seek to steal sensitive government secrets and valuable civilian technology.

Rogacki wouldn't say how much of his company is involved in cybersecurity, only that the Ocala branch has government contracts for such work.

"But we have more people … working in cybersecurity than we had in the past," Rogacki said.

Because of that work, and the other high-tech creations the company produces, Rogacki is certain Chinese hackers have probed the company's computer defenses and are aware of the kinds of work the firm does behind its closed doors.

"It's like the arms race," Rogacki said from his office in the nondescript Ocala building, which once housed the main public library. "We (the United States) are the best in the world but we can't relax. There's too much at stake."

As for any hacker success in scaling IHMC's defensive walls, Rogacki said only: "I don't think anybody in the world, with 100 percent certainty, can say they haven't been penetrated."

Rogacki said most people walking by his building don't know that some of the employees inside are writing some of the most sophisticated computer programming in the world.

One such program identifies all Internet communications and shows where they are coming from and where they are headed.

The program can't identify which communications involve hackers. But it's useful to be able to track trends in Internet communication movement.

Rogacki said his company also creates multilayer computer programs that fend off hackers, and then identifies and eradicates them if they get inside computer systems.

His programs "assists government in protecting vital American interests" such as space technology, weapons, power plants and banks, Rogacki said.

Rogacki admits that most people wouldn't consider Ocala a likely location for such counter cyberterrorism work. But he said the city actually is ideal.

It has quality living standards for employees, a good highway system and transportation network, and is close to several universities.

A private cybersecurity firm, Mandiant, released a comprehensive report this week showing what U.S. government cybersecurity experts already knew: There is a growing Chinese, state-sponsored effort to hack into U.S. government computer sites.

The report said those same hackers have successfully stolen sensitive U.S. information and broken into computer systems controlling vital infrastructure such as banks and utilities.

Although many people were aware of private hackers trying to steal bank and identity information, most were unaware that there have also been state-sponsored hackers based in countries like China. And instead of just bank accounts, overseas hackers target military secrets more than ever before, and try to tap into civilian infrastructure such as power grids, water supplies and gas lines.

Rogacki said foreign-sponsored hackers would likely only disrupt that infrastructure as part of a larger attack, such as a military one.

"I've been aware of the concern for more than a decade," he said, citing civilian company fears and government efforts to defend itself.

The goal of telling the public about high-tech hackers is to "some extent (to) inform, but not alarm the public."

The Chinese hacking has become enough of a concern that this week the Justice Department and FBI said they are cracking down on hacking and gave corporations vulnerable to attacks a guide on strengthening security.

Rogacki said although his firm helps with developing defensive programs, it does not create offensive ones for the U.S. government to hack other foreign computer systems.

The problem for now, Rogacki said, is that private citizens, either in the United States or abroad, can be caught and arrested for hacking. But if it's state-sponsored, there is not much that can be done except publicizing the behavior or sanctioning the offending country.

As for Chinese hackers, Rogacki said, "They're very sophisticated. They're world class, but we have world class (talent) defending us."

<p>Downtown Ocala is home to an innocuous, gray building that most people hardly notice, and few could explain what goes on inside. The Chinese military involved in computer hacking, on the other hand, likely could.</p><p>The 40,000-square-foot building belongs to the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition. The business designs electronics and advanced machinery to help injured people regain the use of their limbs and even see again — all through state-of-the art computerization.</p><p>The company also designs machinery and complex computer technology that give people super-human capabilities in those same physical arenas.</p><p>But it's not only this technology that gets hackers' attention. The institute also creates sophisticated computer programs for federal agencies that track hackers from around the world, including state-supported hackers in China.</p><p>The facility's associate director, John "Row" Rogacki, said this week a growing portion of his firm's portfolio includes helping those federal agencies protect against computer intruders who seek to steal sensitive government secrets and valuable civilian technology.</p><p>Rogacki wouldn't say how much of his company is involved in cybersecurity, only that the Ocala branch has government contracts for such work.</p><p>"But we have more people … working in cybersecurity than we had in the past," Rogacki said.</p><p>Because of that work, and the other high-tech creations the company produces, Rogacki is certain Chinese hackers have probed the company's computer defenses and are aware of the kinds of work the firm does behind its closed doors.</p><p>"It's like the arms race," Rogacki said from his office in the nondescript Ocala building, which once housed the main public library. "We (the United States) are the best in the world but we can't relax. There's too much at stake."</p><p>As for any hacker success in scaling IHMC's defensive walls, Rogacki said only: "I don't think anybody in the world, with 100 percent certainty, can say they haven't been penetrated."</p><p>Rogacki said most people walking by his building don't know that some of the employees inside are writing some of the most sophisticated computer programming in the world.</p><p>One such program identifies all Internet communications and shows where they are coming from and where they are headed.</p><p>The program can't identify which communications involve hackers. But it's useful to be able to track trends in Internet communication movement.</p><p>Rogacki said his company also creates multilayer computer programs that fend off hackers, and then identifies and eradicates them if they get inside computer systems.</p><p>His programs "assists government in protecting vital American interests" such as space technology, weapons, power plants and banks, Rogacki said.</p><p>Rogacki admits that most people wouldn't consider Ocala a likely location for such counter cyberterrorism work. But he said the city actually is ideal.</p><p>It has quality living standards for employees, a good highway system and transportation network, and is close to several universities.</p><p>A private cybersecurity firm, Mandiant, released a comprehensive report this week showing what U.S. government cybersecurity experts already knew: There is a growing Chinese, state-sponsored effort to hack into U.S. government computer sites.</p><p>The report said those same hackers have successfully stolen sensitive U.S. information and broken into computer systems controlling vital infrastructure such as banks and utilities.</p><p>Although many people were aware of private hackers trying to steal bank and identity information, most were unaware that there have also been state-sponsored hackers based in countries like China. And instead of just bank accounts, overseas hackers target military secrets more than ever before, and try to tap into civilian infrastructure such as power grids, water supplies and gas lines.</p><p>Rogacki said foreign-sponsored hackers would likely only disrupt that infrastructure as part of a larger attack, such as a military one.</p><p>"I've been aware of the concern for more than a decade," he said, citing civilian company fears and government efforts to defend itself.</p><p>The goal of telling the public about high-tech hackers is to "some extent (to) inform, but not alarm the public."</p><p>The Chinese hacking has become enough of a concern that this week the Justice Department and FBI said they are cracking down on hacking and gave corporations vulnerable to attacks a guide on strengthening security.</p><p>Rogacki said although his firm helps with developing defensive programs, it does not create offensive ones for the U.S. government to hack other foreign computer systems.</p><p>The problem for now, Rogacki said, is that private citizens, either in the United States or abroad, can be caught and arrested for hacking. But if it's state-sponsored, there is not much that can be done except publicizing the behavior or sanctioning the offending country.</p><p>As for Chinese hackers, Rogacki said, "They're very sophisticated. They're world class, but we have world class (talent) defending us."</p><p><i>Contact Fred Hiers at 867-4157 or fred.hiers@starbanner.com.</i></p>